Medical Consent Form Template – Everybody should be able to make educated decisions about their medical care. Medical treatments can be risky, therefore patients should be able, in the end, to decide in light of known risks that their bodies should be treated. So, before medical professionals are allowed to be able to treat their patients, they have to obtain the process of informed consent.
Informed consent is a legal condition that requires that a patient be informed of his or her physical state and the recommended treatment by the doctor in charge. After receiving this information the patient has to give the doctor their consent to treat prior to any form of treatment can be administered. Without the patient’s informed consent the health professional is not permitted to provide treatments.
Decision Making Capacity
In some instances patients don’t have the knowledge to fully comprehend their options regarding treatment, and the risks and benefits that come with each one. In other cases, patients may not be able to convey their preferences to health workers. When this occurs, the patient is said not to possess the proper decision making capacity. The family member, or court appointed representative in this case, can perform informed consent instead.
Patients who are influenced by their emotions – anxiety or fear, as an example are deemed not possessing decision making capacity. Those who are unconscious clearly cannot make decisions on alone, and external parties need to consent to treatment instead.
Items in an Medical Consent Form Template
There are certain elements that are generally included in informed consent forms:
The diagnosis or medical condition of the patient.
The treatment recommended by the acting physician
The benefits and risks associated with this procedure
Alternative treatments are available, along with their potential risks and benefits
The benefits and risks associated of refusing treatment whatsoever
These items must not only be documented They must also be discussed with the patient. This way, he she will fully understand all the details of the scenario and receive direct responses to any concerns that might be arising.